/
‘I had no idea she was that childish. I don’t even want to believe that she’s from the same level as me with a duchy as her household.’
Watching afar from behind Helios, Saruvia pursed her lips very tightly to prevent herself from laughing at Lucille’s foolish behavior. Saruvia continued to watch Lucille with glinting red eyes.
Lucille clenched the hem of her particularly colorful dress, hiding her intentions beneath a pretty face. She had but one purpose here.
‘I don’t like it that His Majesty treats me the same as he treats the other noble ladies. I need to stand out like this.’
The guests here attended this party with a fierce determination to see the emperor’s face. Lucille couldn’t possibly be considered to be around the same age as the twin highnesses, but despite the humiliation, she took a seat in that table to be nearby.
It was a waste to go back home without yielding any results. She must at least make sure she and the emperor could have some time together under the pretext of Elijah’s injuries.
But what headed towards Lucille was Helios’ firm stare.
“My younger brother, Elijah, had been bitten by Her Highness RosĂ©, Your Majesty.”
At this moment, Helios’ gaze became deeply blurred. Then, the cries of the children rang out.
“You don’t have to do that!”
Shaking off the maid’s hand, the two children ran towards Helios.
It was Rosé and Ferre.
The twins immediately clung to Helios’ legs. Standing behind his legs and looking up at Lucille, the twins could be seen with their faces still red. Everyone who saw them could guess how much the twin prince and princess had cried.
“RosĂ©, Ferre.”
Helios glanced down at his two younger siblings who were hugging his legs.
“It’s my fault that I bit Elijah.”
Rosé’s green eyes looked directly at Helios as she opened her lips a little with a small voice. RosĂ© ran quickly towards her older brother because it seemed like he was in a difficult situation, judging by how he looked from behind.
And it was just as she predicted, so she felt sorry that Helios needed to be responsible for her actions here.
Watching her without a word, Helios swept Rosé’s finely braided hair. He didn’t say it aloud, but he wanted to express that there’s nothing for her to worry about. It’s okay.
“But Your Highness! My brother was hurt
”
While she hugged her older brother’s leg tighter, RosĂ© turned her gaze towards Lucille.
‘LĂšse-majestĂ©.’
Rosé recalled what Sera told her.
“Elijah told us that we’re going to be kicked out of the imperial palace. He said that all imperial family members who aren’t the emperor’s children are the emperor’s enemies and
 it
 it
”
Unable to utter the last part, Rosé struggled through the word and gulped for a moment.
“It’s a good thing that we’re not killed yet.”
“That’s why
 we were so angry that RosĂ© bit Elijah.”
Ferre also added.
Having to say these words out loud made them even sadder. RosĂ© and Ferre’s eyes brimmed with tears once more. Even if they tried to hold it in, their tears trickled down and kept coming out, and it didn’t help that Lucille was right in front of them when her face resembled Elijah’s a lot.
“Heeeli Hyung
”
“Oppa
 Heli Oppaaa.”
The crying children left deep tear streaks down Helios’ pantlegs.
At the same time, as they heard the shocking remarks, everyone was at a loss for words. Their gazes were a mix of sympathy and contempt.
As they looked at the prince and princess, they had regret and pity in their eyes, and as they looked at Lucille, it was contempt and condemnation.
The parents of the young children who were the same age as RosĂ© and Ferre rushed closer to them, and when they saw how devastated the twins’ expressions were, their hearts shattered.
“Y
 Your Majesty. This huge disrespect
”
Only then did Lucille realize that she was making an enormous mistake. She wasn’t daft enough not to realize that what her brother did was the crime of blasphemy against the imperial family. The prickly gazes headed towards her also helped her realize this.
Barely keeping her trembling body upright, she hurriedly went on her knees.
The twin highnesses, soon to be kicked from the imperial palace. These were the words that their father used to raise Elijah’s ego, but Lucille didn’t know that her brother would mention the same thing so straightforwardly. More than that, it was directly towards the twin highnesses.
‘If I make one wrong move here, I might really die. What do I do.’
Lucille bowed lower and touched the ground with her head. Her hands shook anxiously.
‘No. His Majesty is a good man, so
’
Lucille carefully raised her head and tried to glance up at him, but the moment she did, she hurriedly lowered his gaze once more. Those violet eyes of Helios, were they originally so cold?
The other nobles were also startled and frightened. Helios was usually so gentle and kind. This scared everyone even more because they knew how good-natured he was.
Those who dared to look at him saw the face of His Majesty the Emperor for the first time. As his gaze hardened and his closed lips tightened, there was not a hint of warmth in his countenance.
“Ducal Princess Bethmann.”
A cool voice rang in their ears. Lucille instantly froze up.
“Roseline was at fault, so I will overlook this. But next time, I will not let this slide.”
Helios slowly reached down to Lucille, who was still prostrating on the ground.
“Your
 Your Majesty.”
Did he mean that she could take his hand and get up? Lucille would have normally been eager to take Helios’ hand—but no, not now. After hesitating for a moment, she eventually took his hand. She couldn’t bear the icy gaze looking down at her any longer.
After she stood up, Helios’ expression returned to the gentle visage that was completely different from how he looked just now. But the emotion that flashed through his violet eyes was evidently anger—how dare those words be said to his younger siblings.
“Your Majesty, my brother and I have been terribly impertine
”
However, Helios did not give her a second glance. He didn’t need to hear it.
Holding Rosé and Ferre in his arms as though he would never part from them, Helios walked away. His retreating figure was frighteningly cold.